From ACTS (Air Corps Tactical School) to COBRA: Evolution of Close Air Support Doctrine in World War Two.

Abstract

When the United States Army entered North Africa in 1942, it did not have a well-defined close air support (CAS) doctrine. Although the Air Corps Tactical School (ACTS) had a mission to develop and practice air power doctrines, it concentrated its efforts to create a close air support doctrine. From its failures in North Africa to the successful support given Patton's Third Army, American airmen had to develop the basic, operational and tactical doctrines for CAS. This report provides an in-depth accounting of how American CAS doctrine evolved from the ACTS classroom to the battlefields of Northern France.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Apr 01, 1988
Accession Number
ADA194840

Entities

People

  • Michael L. Wolfert

Organizations

  • Air Command and Staff College

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Air Platforms
  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Ground and Sea Platforms
  • Human Systems
  • Weapons Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Aerial Warfare
  • Air Force
  • Air Power
  • Aircraft Equipment
  • Aircraft Industry
  • Aircrafts
  • Airframes
  • Combat Areas
  • Contingency Operations (Military)
  • Fighter Aircraft
  • Geography
  • Military Aviation
  • Military History
  • Military Organizations
  • Military Science
  • Second World War
  • Students

Readers

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  • Military History of the United States in the 20th Century.
  • Military Science